United States President Barack Obama emphasized climate change as he spent the weekend on vacation with his family by visiting national parks. The Obama family visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Yosemite National Park.
At Yosemite, Obama said that protecting national parks is important. "And the biggest challenge we're going to face in protecting this place is climate change. Make no mistake, climate change is no longer just a threat, it's already a reality," Obama said, as quoted by Think Progress.
JUST IN: Obama urges action on climate change while speaking at Yosemite Park https://t.co/vU6nc6yyNg pic.twitter.com/ypRjpkH0HF
— The Hill (@thehill) June 18, 2016
Climate Change Already Taking Effect
Obama said that rangers have told him that Yosemite's meadows are drying up and birds have flocked northward. Besides birds, alpine mammals have also reportedly went further north to escape rising temperatures in the park while Yosemite's glacier has melted considerably.
According to SF Gate, the Obama family had last gone on vacation to national parks in 2009. In that year, the Obama family toured Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon. The Obama family's visit to national parks this year coincides with the centennial anniversary of the National Park Service.
Budget Woes On National Parks
Besides climate change, NBC News reported that national parks all over the country are also facing the threat of budget cuts. It was noted that 52 percent of the budget of the National Forest Service is being spent to address forest fires which research has found to be aggravated by climate change.
The report also said that the maintenance of national parks costs $820 million dollars every year but funding continues to decrease every year. National parks in the United States are said to be suffering from a $12 billion maintenance backlog.
How should the government address both climate change and budget cuts so as to not threaten the country's national parks? Share your thoughts below.
